THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – BLAINE, Minn. – The Thunder Bay major midget Kings wrapped up Round 2 play in the North American Prospects Hockey League at the Schwan Super Rinks in Blaine, Minn., with a 3-2 record.
They earned victories over the San Diego Jr. Gulls, Wenatchee Wolves and Pikes Peak Miners while dropping decisions against the Esmark Stars and Madison Capitols.
In their opener Friday vs. San Diego, the under-18 Kings got three points apiece from Baldino Aiello and Robert McCollum as they skated to a 4-1 victory.
After a scoreless opening period, Aiello and Jacob Brown netted markers in the middle stanza to put Thunder Bay up a pair.
The Jr. Gulls cut into the deficit seven minutes into the third, but the major midgets put the game away with efforts 10 seconds apart courtesy of McCollum and Aiello to secure the decision.
Ryan Fanti made 24 stops in picking up the win in net for the Kings.
Their second contest of the weekend wasn’t a fortunate as they fell 5-1 to a strong Stars’ side out of Pittsburgh.
Stefan Lehto-Borich notched the lone goal for the U-18s in that one while Tyler Szturm was peppered with 37 shots in defeat.
Bouncing back in Game 3, Thunder Bay played a stingy defence throughout the affair as they blanked Wenatchee 3-0.
The Kings got one tally in each period in picking up the win with Shayne McKay, Logan Mihalcin and Keon Fox all finding the back of the net with the latter of markers coming on the power play.
Fanti only had to make 12 saves in posting the shutout.
Taking on Pikes Peak Sunday, Szturm was stellar stopping 23 in regulation and all five Miners attempts in extra shots in a 4-3 shootout triumph.
Lehto-Borich scored twice for the Kings and Jacob Brown added a shorthanded effort before Mason Moffat buried the difference maker in the shootout while Szturm did the rest to secure the two points.
The club’s final contest in Round 2 was played Monday morning where they fell 4-1 to Madison, who shares the NAPHL U-18 standings lead with a solid 9-1 record.
Garrett Gammond picked up the only marker for the Kings, which came during a second period man advantage.
Fanti turned aside 23 of 26 shots in the setback with the game’s final tally coming into an empty net.
Through 10 games in NAPHL play, the major midgets sit tied for 10th spot in the 19-team U-18 division with a 5-4-1 record.
Next up for the Kings in NAPHL action will be another five-game set, which will be held Nov. 13-16 in Aston, Penn.
